ABC Family has ordered a third season of Switched at Birth and given back-order pickups to its freshman summer hits The Fosters and Twisted. After finishing their current runs, they’ll return in January 2014.

The Fosters, executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, follows a multi-ethnic family of foster and biological children being raised by two mothers. It’s the summer’s top new cable TV show in viewers 12-34 (1.3 million) and females 12-34 (1.1 million). Twisted, about a 16-year-old outcast who returns from five years in juvenile detention and tries to reconnect with his two childhood best friends, tops the Tuesday at 9 p.m. hour on cable in those demos, along with women 18-34. The network also announced that Charles Pratt Jr. (The Lying Game, All My Children, Melrose Place) will join the show as a writer and exec producer. The Peabody Award-winning Switched at Birth, which is the first mainstream TV series to have multiple deaf and hard-of-hearing series regulars and scenes shot entirely in American Sign Language, averages 2.4 million in total viewers.

ABC Family previously announced orders for a fourth season of the sitcom Melissa & Joey and a third season of the comedy Baby Daddy.

Exciting news for fans of The Fosters! We recently had the chance to chat with star Cierra Ramirez about the current season of the new ABC Family series.

Cierra was so nice and we had a great time talking with her about the show. It’s one of our new favorites.

We chat about her character Mariana, the cast being nominated for the Teen Choice Awards, who she’d love to work with some day, and what’s next for her on the show and off!

Pop City Life: How will the relationship with Mariana’s mother continue to evolve this season?

Cierra: I would definitely say that Mariana’s secrets will definitely come up and haunt her. She still has to go through what happened in all the betrayal and the lies and the secrets and it’s all going to come back and she’s going to have to deal with it. So, it’s not the last that you will see of her.

Pop City Life: Are there any other projects that you’re working on during the upcoming break?

Cierra: At the moment, I am not. I am in Houston, Texas right now visiting with friends and family, so I’m busy with that. But I still am auditioning so if anything comes my way that would definitely change.

Pop City Life: Who has influenced you as an actress and who you would love to work with someday?

Cierra: That’s a good question. I would definitely have to say Angelina Jolie, which is something I know everyone says. But I just love her so much as an actress and as a human being. I just love everything she does. I respect all of her work. There’s not one project that she’s ever done that I’ve never been a fan of. I think she’s just so passionate and I would love to follow in her footsteps one day.

Q) Do you think a show like this can make people change their minds on the topic of same sex marriage?

Cierra:  I definitely do think that it could, it’s about time a show like this has been on the air. There’s never been anything like it and it’s about time. It has perfect timing with everything that’s going on in the world and with Prop 8 and stuff like that. I think it can help people become a little bit more open to the idea of it, to same sex marriage and the idea that families being raised in certain households like that do turn out all right.

Q) What was your reaction to this story and the characters that were in it?

Cierra: I’m a sucker for mom and daughter stories. I love being able to relate to that and being in other people’s shoes. But I just was so drawn to the writing. I thought it was so real. Like I said before, it’s time that a show like this has been aired. I just fell in love with the script, every single one of the characters.

I think they’re all amazing and people can really identify with their cleverness and their wittiness and I just think it’s great.

Q) Were you able to pick your character?

Cierra: No, I wasn’t able to choose. My auditioning process was actually very strange. I literally auditioned for the show the day I found out that the series I was on, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, was not getting picked up for another season.

I put myself on tape. They were testing for the role of Mariana and I didn’t think I’d make it in time, but I later found out that I did get the role. So, it was really fast, but it was such a blessing to just hop on from one project to another.

Q) Could you talk a little bit about your character in your words for people that may have not yet watched The Fosters?

Cierra: Mariana is a 15-year-old girl. She’s very optimistic and with that comes a lot of curiosity, especially coming from a fostering background. She’s very curious in finding out about her background, where she comes from. So, she gets in contact with her birth mom and goes behind her parents’ back so she gets herself into a lot of the trouble and a lot of betrayal, a lot of secrets.

Q) What quality do you love about her?

Cierra: I love her wittiness. That’s one thing. I’m not very witty, so I can kind of live vicariously through her. She has very good comebacks. Whereas I would just kind of take it and put a smile on my face. But she’s very witty and very fashionable and even though she does get herself into a lot of trouble, she does have a very good heart. So, I really love that about her.

Q) How is being on The Secret Life of the American Teenager different from The Fosters?

Cierra: It’s very different in the sense that when I got on Secret Life it was already in its fifth season, so I was the newcomer with all of these people who had been bonding for four years and they were family, not only cast mates. So, it was a change, but everyone was so welcoming and so warm that I wouldn’t have really known any difference.

But, it was actually really fun to go through the whole pilot experience with the cast of The Fosters. So, we’ve gone from the get-go and it’s really been fun. It’s been a blast.

Q)Is her relationship with Jesus going to continue to improve or are there going to be more roadblocks for them?

Cierra: I think so, because she has kind of accepted the fact that he is dating her best friend and she’s going to have to deal with it, whether she likes it or not. She can’t let go of the few people that she loves. So, I definitely think that their relationship will get better.

Q) How does it make you and your cast members feel that The Fosters has been nominated for a Teen Choice Award in the category of Best TV Breakout Show?

Cierra: We actually all found out together. The producers told us and we were all on set. We were freaking out, I mean, literally. It still hasn’t even really hit me. But I’m, along with the audience, I’m there voting. I’m voting every day. I’m very excited and I can’t wait to see what the outcome is. I’m just really excited no matter what. And the fact that it was nominated four episodes into it is such a blessing.

Q) Does anyone on the cast plan on going to the Teen Choice Awards?

Cierra: I think everyone is. We’re all excited. Definitely.

Q) Which episode is your favorite?

Cierra: I would definitely have to be a little biased and say the Quinceanera. Mainly because who wouldn’t love being dressed up for a whole week like that. I never actually had a Quinceanera, so I got to experience one through Mariana and it’s televised, so I mean it’s the best of both worlds. So, it was a really fun episode and the dance scene was probably my favorite. We had to rehearse for that, so that was really fun.

Q) Are there any really funny behind-the-scenes moments on set?

Cierra: There has definitely been some funny moments. I think it would have to do a lot with phones on set, because we’re all so very tech savvy. We’re always on our phones, every single one of the cast members. So, it’s really funny when a certain cast member’s phone will go off in the middle of a scene while we’re filming because that happens a lot.

It’s really bad, but it happens a lot to me. I’m very well known for hiding my phone in really weird places. I can hide it in a refrigerator during a scene or under that bed. It’s pretty bad, but at the end of the day we can all laugh at it.

You can catch Cierra on The Fosters, airing Mondays on ABC Family.

THIS INTERVIEW IS CREDITED TO POP CITY LIFE!

Check out Cierra's sneak peek where she gives us a look at several songs that will be on her album which is expected to be out early next year! She also described her album as a work in progress and is currently working on finishing up her album now! Check out the video for yourself :)

Cierra Ramirez is going to be sharing with us a sneak peek of what she has been working on tomorrow, July 26th at 12p.m. PT. I'm pretty sure the sneak peek is music/album related! After she has shared the sneak peek she will be answering questions at her twitter handle @cierraramirez! 

‘The Fosters’ is one of the newest shows to come to ABC Family. The show brings together foster children from all walks of life together into one family.

Cierra Ramirez plays Mariana Foster on the show, and we got to chat with the actress about her character and the upcoming episode "Clean," premiering next Monday, July 22 at 8:00pm ET/PT only on ABC Family.


Fanlala: Tell us about your character on The Fosters.

Cierra Ramirez: I play Mariana Foster, a 15-year-old twin. She’s very optimistic and comes from a fostering background. She’s very curious about finding her biological background and where she comes from. She eventually gets in contact with her biological parents behind her foster parents’ back. Mariana has a lot of secrets and betrayals that come back to haunt her.


F: Tell us about the upcoming episode “Clean.”

CR: Fans of the show are going to see unraveling truths. Mariana comes clean and tells her parents what she’s been up to, and we’re going to see the consequences of that.


F: How do you relate to Mariana?

CR: I would say that I’m pretty optimistic, maybe not as adventurous or rebellious as Mariana is. I like to live through my character when I’m on set, and it’s been a real blessing to work on such a great project.


F: What is your favorite part about working on ‘The Fosters?’

CR: I love the cast and crew, they’re so great to work with. I love being on the set with such talented and amazing people. You learn so much every day, and there’s constant laughter. Work can’t get any better. Although this isn’t even really called work.


F: How is the role of Mariana different from your time on ‘Secret Life of American Teenager’ or the ‘Suite Life of Zack and Cody?’

CR: I’ve done a few pilots, but I’ve never been a main character from the get-go. I’ve been a recurring character or become a regular. On ‘Secret Life,’ I joined on the 5th season, which was definitely a transition from when I joined in after the cast had been together for 4 years. This is a fun new experience to be a part of since I’ve been here since the beginning!


F: When you’re not working on ‘The Fosters,’ what are you up to?

CR: Since we’re on a hiatus right now, I’ve been working on music and my album. I love soul and the classics like Etta James. My music has a soul inspiration, but I love the music on the radio as well, so I’m trying to find a nice blend between the two.


Before we parted ways, Cierra had to say to her fans “Thank you so much for all the support and for all the feedback about the show. I have different audience members coming up to me and letting me know what they think, and I love that.”

Betty Confidential: When did you find out you were chosen for the role of Mariana and how did you react?

Cierra Ramirez: Well, my auditioning process was very strange and kind of out of the ordinary. When I auditioned, I put myself on tape the day that I found out the series I was on was no longer getting picked up for another season and they were testing for the role. My agent told me, “You can do this but I’m pretty sure they have someone in mind.” So I just tried to be optimistic, put myself on tape, and the day after I found out I had booked the role. I was just so thrilled, I was so amazed, I loved the script, and it was so amazingly written that I was just so blessed to be working on it. It was awesome.

BC: Though the response to the show seems to be overwhelmingly positive, there has been some criticism from conservative groups because your on-screen family is headed by a lesbian couple. How do you handle that?

CR: You know, I always like to think that if people aren’t hating on you, then you’re not doing something right, but if they ARE hating on you, then you are doing something right. That’s what really drew me to this project. I’m hoping that it’ll help people in the long run become more open to the idea of these types of families and see that being raised by same-sex couples, the families do turn out alright. And it’s something that’s such a big topic and such a big issue in the world now that I think it’s time that something is on the air like this. So I’m very blessed to be a part of it and I hope that people can really resonate with it.

BC: Why do you think so many families today can relate to the show?

CR: I think people can relate to the show and every single one of the characters. That’s what I love about this. It’s so brilliantly written that all of the storylines and characters, they’re all very identifiable. I’m hoping that, because it deals with certain issues, whether it’s same-sex couples or foster kids or trying to identify or find yourself, lots people can relate to a lot of the storylines. Thankfully, lots of feedback has been very positive as far as that goes. I love hearing different fan stories saying “Oh my gosh I totally would’ve done that or I have done that” –different stuff like that. It’s just very cool to see.

BC: What would you say to kids who are growing up in families that don’t fit a traditional mold?

CR: Family is the best thing that could ever happen. I love family and I love that this show is about family. “It’s not where you come from, it’s where you belong,” is the best quote that I could ever take from this show. It doesn’t matter if you’re different; it doesn’t matter if you’re not related by blood or anything like that. If you’re with a family who loves you, genuinely cares about you no matter what happens thick and thin and unconditionally, you’re in the best position ever and no one can tell you that you’re not.

BC: What’s life on-set like? Are there any funny stories or pranks you can tell us about?

CR: Oh my gosh, the set life is amazing. I love every single person. I have to say, there’s not a lot of pranksters, but there’s constant laughter. One thing that’s a constant is mainly with me, I’m really bad. I have a problem with my phone going off in the middle of filming. It never fails. I will put my phone on silent but then an alarm will go off in the middle of a scene and I’m known for putting my phone in really strange places, so if it ever starts ringing from the refrigerator in a scene, everyone will know it’s me. I’m not alone, though; some cast mates had that happen. It’s embarrassing at the moment, but at the end of the day everyone can really laugh about it.

BC: How does Mariana compare to you in real life?

CR: Well, I’m definitely not as adventurous or rebellious as Mariana is and I’d like to think I’m witty but I know I’m not [Ed note: She most certainly IS]. So I can kind of live vicariously through her with her witty comebacks. But I would like to think that can I relate to her in the sense that she does get into some trouble, but at the end of the day she does have a very good heart. She has good intentions and her mind is in the right place. And that’s genuinely what I love about her. She’s 15, she’s growing up and she’s going to make mistakes but there are lessons learned. I am still growing and there are still lessons to be learned for me, so I can relate to her in that way.

BC: Can you tell us a little more about this upcoming episode and whether it’s going to have lasting effects on the family?

CR: Well, Mariana’s secret is going to unravel in this next episode so you’re going to see the consequences that come along with her coming clean and how the whole family is going to kind of…well, you’ll have to see. I don’t want to give too much away!

BC: Are you kept in the dark until right before you’re filming an episode or do you get to review the script in advance?

CR: Thankfully, they do give it to us pretty early, usually halfway through filming [the episode previous to it]. I love getting to read the script. I’m genuinely a big fan of the show so I love reading what’s next and what’s going to happen.

BC: Which actress’ career do you admire and why?

CR: So, this is very cliché, but I would have to say Angelina Jolie because I admire every project she’s taken on and I admire her as a person off-screen as well. Everything that she does to give back to the world, I just think it’s so great. She’s such a positive role model to look up to. I love all of her roles. I don’t think there’s one role that she’s ever taken on that I haven’t been a fan of. I’d love to walk in her footsteps one day, hopefully.

BC: What do you hope to be doing in five years?

CR: It’s always been a dream of mine to become an executive producer. So I would hope to produce probably a project that I’m doing. I think it’d be really great to be on-screen and off. Or maybe just off. I would love to produce.

BC: Has Jennifer Lopez [a.k.a. executive producers of The Fosters] given you advice yet?

CR: No, actually. I haven’t asked her for any advice, but she’s just been so great to work with. She’s been very active and it’s a blessing to work with her.

Catch all new episodes of The Fosters Mondays at 9/8c on ABC Family!

THIS INTERVIEW IS CREDITED TO BETTY CONFIDENTIAL! DIANA DENZA IS BETTY CONFIDENTIAL'S CONTRIBUTING EDITOR.

Photos courtesy of ABC Family.

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) I am currently finishing up the first half of "The Fosters" first season. It's been such a great ride and I'm excited to see what happens with it. Hopefully, there are more episodes to come. I'm also currently going to be working on album. It's something that has kind of been on the backburner for me for awhile because I've been so busy with "The Fosters," but I'm bringing it back up now since I have a break.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show "The Fosters?"

A) I just thought the issues that the message it brings and the issues it deals with have never really been seen before on television. I love taking on different roles and projects that can get people to talk and discuss issues. I think it's about time that something has been on the air with those kinds of issues.

Q) How was your character Mariana originally described to you?

A) I know that she is a very optimistic fifteen year old girl. She comes from a fostering background and has one twin brother. He's the only blood relative she has besides her biological mother, who she is keeping in contact with behind her foster mother's back. She wants to know who she is and that leads to her meeting with her mom and causing some trouble.

Q) Since you play twins, was there instant chemistry between you and Jake T. Austin or did it take some time to develop?

A) We didn't really spend that much time together, but instantly the entire cast bonded. We're on our tenth episode now and it feels like our hundredth! We instantly bonded and the chemistry on and off set is really amazing! There is constant laughter when ever we're not rolling. It was really easy to connect with all of the cast members.

Q) Was there anything about Mariana that you added to the role that wasn't originally scripted?

A) Actually, I have my own personal twist on Mariana. I know she is very fashionable and I love decorating my nails a certain way. Last episode I put polka dots and kittens on my nails and this week I have strawberries. So, it's my own personal style that I can bring to Mariana.

Q) What are the reasons behind Mariana not wanting Jesus to date her best friend?

A) It is kind of an ideal situation, in a way, for a best friend to be dating a sibling. I think it was because they went behind her back and kept her out of it. That was more what pissed her off about it. Originally, if they had told her about it and not went behind her back then she would have been okay with it.

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from working on "The Fosters?"

A) I think probably hanging out with the cast and crew. It is such an amazing group of people. I love all the writers and all of their ideas are just so amazing. I love getting new scripts each week! I can't wait! I genuinely love the project because I'm a part of it, but I'm also genuinely a fan of the show. I love waiting for the next script to read it.

Q) You are a part of the social networking site Twitter. Has that been a great way for you to get instant feedback about your role?

A) Yes! I actually live tweeted last week's episode and that was so amazing to get all the questions as people were viewing the episode. I love taking on roles and projects where people can talk. I was hoping that a lot of the characters and a lot of their storylines were identifiable and relatable. Thankfully, a lot of the feedback has been people can relate to a lot of the characters and a lot of the issues. It's been awesome to see!

Q) You mentioned we'll be hearing some music from you in the near future. How would you describe your sound?

A) I love soul so I have inspirations like Amy Winehouse, but I also love Rihanna and everything you hear on the radio. So, I want to have a soul-ish sound, but very radio friendly. I'm going to try to put a bunch of inspirations in a blender and come up with something that no one has heard before.

Q) Are you hoping to collaborate with people on your album?

A) I would definitely want to collaborate with a bunch of different people! I love The Weeknd and I would love to have a collaboration with Will.I.Am. because I love him! I think working with Calvin Harris would be really cool. I've got to have some rappers in there so I would love to work with Drake!

Q) How much of a hand will you have in the writing and production of your album?

A) I am getting into writing. It's been a transition for me because I come from a competition background. I have always had a passion for creative writing so it's helping with the writing process. It's a challenge, but it's helping a lot.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) I would like to thank them for their support and ask them to continue with it. I wouldn't be where I am today without it!

THIS INTERVIEW IS CREDITED TO JAMIE STEINBERG AT STARRY CONSTELLATION MAGAZINE! 

'The Fosters' is up for a Teen Choice Award in the Breakout Show category! Show the cast and the show some love and vote here! 
http://www.teenchoiceawards.com/ Must sign up or log in to vote and you can only vote once per day! Let's win the show an award! Below is the other shows they are up against.

Choice TV Breakout Show:
"Arrow"
"Baby Daddy"
"The Carrie Diaries"
"The Fosters"
"The Mindy Project"